Only Twelve

 

Yesterday, our medical students graduated.

From the 55 students who were accepted into our program four years ago, only 12 walked up the stage. Just twelve.

They’re not doctors yet, not officially. They still have to complete internship, then hurdle the board exams. But what they’ve achieved so far is no small feat.

Those twelve carried with them the courage of fifty-five. They are a testament to resilience, to grit, to persistence in the face of sleepless nights, missed family milestones, heartbreaks, breakdowns, and the quiet burden of becoming. But they showed up, and they succeeded.

I am deeply honored to have been part of their journey, to have witnessed them grow, not just as future physicians, but as humans who chose to keep going, even when the road was unforgiving.

Congratulations, dear students. Padayon.